The culture of doing right by patients and following the science continues to drive the company. More than anywhere else I've ever worked (25+ yrs in industry, 35 years working in corporations), Genentech "walks their talk." I am grateful every day that I get the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of patients and their loved ones, do interesting and challenging work, with the added benefit of supporting my own family. Leadership works hard to maintain transparency, invites open communication, and is committed to continuous improvement. Employees are awesome, smart, driven and working there for the right reasons.

Cons

The current state of change has been stressful for many. There is some confusion impacting our ability to focus. I am confident that this will diminish as we better incorporate our new, intensified focus on patients and customers.

Changes in upper management and expiring patents have lead to layoffs. Also a lot of departments have “cliques” which I wasn’t a fan of. People who do their job well and go above and beyond should be recognized regardless if they’re in the clique or not.

Current Employee - Senior Administrative Associate in South San Francisco, CA (US)

Current Employee - Senior Administrative Associate in South San Francisco, CA (US)

No opinion of CEO

I have been working at Genentech full-time (More than 8 years)

Pros

Great benefits, smart people, good intentions.

Cons

Too much of the “Genentech nice culture,” office politics, places more value on how one does something rather than the impact of that outcome. It really depends on what part of the company/organization you’re a part of. I think a lot of leadership is well-meaning, while some are truly stuck in the traditions and company “culture fit” that are driving away talented, innovative people.

Work life balance varies greatly depending on your function or manager. If your manager is old school, working from home is allowed but frowned upon, so what good does that do?

Advice to Management

Look at the potential of your employees from the ground up, not just the director level and above. You’re losing talent when you don’t truly value what we already have in house. Consider hiring and promoting people beyond those that only reflect you and your working style, or we’re going to keep growing a homogenous workforce that doesn’t lend itself to innovation.

Company Updates

Earlier this month we were thrilled to welcome Alexander Hardy as our Chief Executive Officer! Alexander is focused on continuing to foster an environment where scientific innovation can thrive and ensuring patients with serious diseases have access to the breakthrough medicines they need. Learn more about the exciting work we're doing and our commitment to science, patients, and our people by following the link below.